Plan revealed for North Wales-Liverpool airport hovercraft route

The North Wales hovercraft plan includes a stop at John Lennon Airport in Liverpool

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Plans for a hovercraft service between North Wales and Liverpool John Lennon Airport have been revealed – and could be running as early as spring 2015.

Wirral-based firm Hoverlink Ltd – behind the proposal to reinstate a service between Rhyl and New Brighton – wants to make the route the world’s only existing airport hovercraft link.

The company aims to run 16, 40-minute journeys per day like a “bus schedule” so between 30 and 85 passengers could get onboard at Llandudno, Rhyl, Merseyside and finally the airport, with a single ticket costing around £15.

Simon Clitheroe, a director of Hoverlink Ltd, says the airport link is “key to their project” and says investment of £1m needs to be secured to get the venture off the ground.

He has welcomed the “enthusiasm” of Vale of Clwyd MP Chris Ruane, who has helped set up a meeting between the company and a UK transport minister which he believes could unlock crucial funding streams.

Mr Clitheroe said: “It was always in our plans. Getting to Wirral is one thing but from our data and consultations, people want to get to Liverpool and obviously to the airport.

“It would be the only existing airport link as far as we’re aware. It has been done in Japan years ago but there is no other existing one at this moment.

“The whole project is unique and to bring that element to the airport, it’s key to our project. Our services would run a community link where you can hop on and off like a bus schedule.

“A single ticket from North Wales to Merseyside would cost £15 but that doesn’t include seasonal discount and early booking schemes.”

A temporary platform could be put in place at the airport to accommodate the hovercraft prior to a permanent one being built, according to Mr Clitheroe.

“Touch wood, we can get it for the spring but we don’t want to make any promises we can’t fulfil,” he said.

“We’re trying our best but we really need the public of North Wales to get behind it and show that they want it.”

Speaking in a debate in the House of Commons on regional airports yesterday, Mr Ruane said: “The first hovercraft passenger service in the world was from Rhyl to Wirral more than 50 years ago, and three hovercraft companies want to restart that.

"One of them – Hoverlink – wants to establish a link to Liverpool airport from North Wales. Will the Minister meet a delegation of MPs involved in that, and Hoverlink?”

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Robert Goodwill said: “I was expecting to be asked about surface connectivity, but travelling on the surface of the water is a novel idea.

"That is an exciting idea – I would be delighted to meet those involved, and possibly even take a ride on one.”

Liverpool Airport chiefs have welcomed the idea with a spokesperson saying: “North Wales is an important catchment area and we naturally welcome any improvements in transport access to the airport.

"This certainly sounds like an exciting initiative. Hoverlink has talked to us about their proposed scheme and we look forward to seeing their plans progress further.”

Hoverlink Ltd and Hertfordshire-based Airspeed Hovercraft Solutions Ltd are awaiting confirmation from Denbighshire and Wirral councils that their licences to run services between Rhyl and New Brighton have been granted.